The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-10-06
UTAH COMMISSION REPORT
THREE OF THE MEMBERS FILE THEIR
PAPERS AT WASHINGTON.

Mormon 0uestiOn--The Beneficial EE-
fscts of the Edmunds Bill-AnnuaI Re-
port From Wyoming Territory.
WASHINGTON, Oct. &c L. Godfrey, A.
B. Williams and Arthur L. Thomas, consti-
tuting majority of the Ulah commission.
have fled " lJh the secretary OF the interior
the annual reporJ of the commission on the
affairs OF that territory. A memorandum
at the close OF the document states that
Commissioners Carlton aud AIcClernand, dis
senting from many of the views expressed
therein, did not ign tho report. The popu-
lation Of this territory is estimated at 200,
K 00O, q gain Of nearly 1000 since 1881 The
valuation OF the propsrCy assessed in the
territory is given as S35. .C65, SJ2 The pros
perity Of the past ssvea years. says the re.
port has heen equal TO that Of any former
period il the history of the territory. The
leading>citie5 and towns aud many of the
smaller communities shog u steady and
gratifying growth.
On April OF tbs present year the total
Mormon population in the territories OF
Utah, Idaho Arizona, Wyoming and New
Mexico aud the State, OF Nevada and Col
orado, was l52,aS9 officially classel as fol-
AONa' u 6o ilTSG pIeslueuL8, eleven
apostles, six5y-fve patriarchs, 6,444 seven
ties, 3,733 nigh priests l9,4ll elders, 9, ,423
priests, 2,497 teachers, 6S54 deaoons and
81, 2S3 members In the territory of Utah
the total church population is 132, 297, and
the number of children under eight years
of age was At, 5S4. Since the death of John
Taylor the government OF the church has
rested upon the quorum of the twelve
apostles, of which WifOri Woodruff is
president. He is now the virtual head of
the church. The Mormon church, continues
the report. teaches its members not to enter
the territorial courts TO settle their difficult
ties 1t has provided system of courts
within the church. First, there is a ward
court presided over by u bishop counsellor
They are empowered to try all minor cases
both of a temporal and spiritual nature, and
to set in Judgment upon transgressors.
From this court appeals may be taken to
the stake court and chen 90 tho first pres-
idency" or "apostlo queen," which is a court
OF last resort aud exclusive jurisdiction.
The tithings for 1880 amounted to $4,000
The building of the Salt Lake temple which
was commenced in 1868, has already cost
millions OF dollars and will not be com
pleted for years to come The people, the
report says, are very tenacious of their
rights and persistently claim they are per-
secuted. The Mormon strength is estimated
at So 600
These men own of the assessed property of
the territory nearly one-third, exclusive of
railroad property. The different religious
denominations have sixty-two churches.
The Methodist denomination has the largest
numbering twenty-six, Presby byterians
eightaen, Catholics six, and so de-
creasing through five other socie.
ties. These several churches have
established aud control eighty seven schools
with an aggregate of 6,GGS pupils, aud 80
teachers. Since the passage Of the Ed
muuds' law in 1852, 54l persons have been
indicted for unlawful cohabitaton; 2S9 of
these were convicted. The number con-
vioted of poygamy was fourteen. Many of
the persons indicted have fed to escape ar
rest. In the enforcement of the law the re-
port says the resent officers Of the Federal
courts in Utah are entitled to special COM
mentation, and this should also include the
late able prosecuting attorney, The Ma
tional laws relating to bigamy and poly
gamy have been in effective operation for
about three years. Standing face to face
the leaders aud their obedient followers
have made no concession, and the issue is
squarey maintained, between assumed
revelations and the laws of the land The
first annual election under the act Of con-
Gress, prescribing registration oath for
voters, was hold On August ] of this year.
and resulted az follows: The Mormons
elected ten councillors and twenty one men,
bers; the Liberals or nom Mormons elected
two councillors and three members The
total vote cast was l6 96l.
On the subject Of the movement for state
hood the report says that in June last con-
vention was held for the purpose of adopt |
ing constitution on which to demand ad- |
mission to the Union. The consttion,
adopted with great unanmity, declares big |
amy and polygamy to be misdemeanors and |
fixes punishment 1t also provides that no |
further legislation shall be required to make |
or define these offences and proclaim the |
separation Of church and state. The instru- |
meDt is silent as to the offense of unlawful |
cohabitaJion. The non Mormons declined |
to recognize or join i'll the proceedings of |
the convention The Mormons claim that |
having taken this action the people ought |
not to be longer denied a voice in the con- |
duct Of their own affairs and in the selec- |
tion Of their officers. In the election which |
followed, upon the adoption of this constitu- |
ton, the non-Mormons refused to vote, and |
the monogamian Mormons cast l3 l95 votes /
in its favor. Only 500 votes being cast |
against it,
AHe TeHhrub bnl5 spdL0 IlOV6-
ment as an effort to free the Mormon church |
from the tolls which the firm attitude of the \
government and the energetic course of the /
Federal officers have thrown around them |
and opposes its consummation. During the |
past year the names Of sixty seven men
have been reported to the commission as
having entered into polygamy. The COM
mission renews its recommendation Of last |
year except such as were enacted into laws
at the last session Of congress. The commits
also recommends that authority be con-
ferred upon the governor of the territory to /
appoint the following county oflcerB:s Se- L
lectmen clerks, assessors recorders and su- /
perintendents OF district schools In con
cusion the commission submits that In its
opinion the results which have followed
from the passage Of the Edmunds act has 4
been very beneficial to this territory
4
Wyoming Territory Report.
WASHINGTON, Oot 5.-The governor Of
Wyoming Territory in his annual report
states that the territory is adapted for farm
ing purposes as well as for stock raising, |
and the advantages OF combining the two
are we'll recognized. The governor estimates
that the population now numbers So, 900. He
states that the finances Of the territory |
have been well managed, and that the debt
Is $230, ,000. Owing to the fact that the rail-
road lands are assessed this year for the first
time the taxable values Of the present year
exceed those of last year by over millionJ
OF dollars. Foj the ten months beginning
I.ww..